Golda Och Academy will celebrate the school’s accomplishments and honor three individuals who have made an indelible impact on the school’s past, present and future — Joseph Bier, Daniel S. Och and Dr. Michael Och – during its annual Spring Gala on Thursday, June 6 at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel.

Joseph Bier, the son of school founder, Horace Bier, is a former Chair of GOA’s Board of Trustees. Under Bier’s leadership, the school was rededicated as Golda Och Academy and the Building on Tradition campaign — the school’s capital and endowment campaign — was launched. Bier has been recognized for his service to the Jewish and general community as a board member and Campaign Chair at the Jewish Federation of Central NJ and as the recipient of their prestigious Young Leadership Award and Miriam Karch Memorial Award by JFS of Central NJ.

Daniel S. Och is the founder of the Och Ziff Capital Management Group and serves as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors. In 2010, he and his wife Jane made a transformational impact on GOA in the $15 million challenge gift that led to the renaming of the school as Golda Och Academy, in memory of his mother Golda, z”l. Daniel Och’s connection to the school goes back to when he was a student in the first kindergarten class. Daniel Och is involved in a vast array of philanthropic activities in the Jewish and general community.

Dr. Michael Och and wife Golda, z”l, were among the founding families of SSDS of Essex and Union when it opened its doors in 1965 and their children all attended the school. Dr. Michael Och is a member of the school’s GO Grants and Building on Tradition Campaign steering committees.

“The GOA community is fortunate and thrilled to be honoring three very important school leaders and benefactors, each of whom has made a major impact on the success and future of our school,” Board Chair Sheryl Pearlstein said. “The excitement is building as our Gala committee is hard at work planning a wonderful, celebratory evening for our school community.”
The theme of the evening — “From Generation to Generation”— will celebrate these multigenerational families who have been with Golda Och Academy since the beginning and the generations of new families who are establishing roots in our school community.

Funds raised will support academic excellence and provide critical financial aid to students at Golda Och Academy.

To RSVP or for more information about the Gala, the honorees, or Ad Journal opportunities, please visit GoldaOchAcademy.org/Gala or call Stephanie Bash-Soudry at 973-602-3612.